Perhaps even worse, Congressman Capuano said it doesn't look like Congress will negotiate a deal in time for the deadline.

Sequestration is fancy term for spending cuts, which have been set up to take effect automatically on March 1 if Congress and the White House can't reach a compromise.

Earlier on Monday, Sen. Warren, Congressman Capuano and Boston Mayor Tom Menino appeared at Boston Medical Center to talk about how the cuts would hurt medical research being done in the Boston area. They say Massachusetts could lose thousands of jobs and millions in federal research funding to hospitals and schools.

Massive cuts in defense spending would also hurt the state's economy.

"I never thought I'd have to get good at describing why it is that we should not make stupid cuts, but that's what I'm going to work on. And I'm going to get better at this until we put this question of sequestration to rest," Sen. Warren said.

Congress passed this in a last minute New Year's Eve deal and President Barack Obama signed it.

Congressman Capuano said he thinks a deal eventually will get done, but he can't say when.

"I think we'll get it done. I know that we'll get it done. I don't know that they'll get it done in the short term. I'm not so sure that we will avoid the cuts that are already in place for this year, but I do think we'll get it done."

Congress is in recess until Feb 25, four days before the actual deadline.